Grosse Pointe seeks feedback on failed school bond proposal

Feb. 26, 2014

Terri Reynolds of Grosse Pointe Farms marks her ballot as Dr. Connie Boris, an election inspector cochair at Grosse Pointe South High School in Grosse Pointe Farms, does her work and waits for more voters. Voters in Grosse Pointe voted down a bond proposal that would have brought in $50.2 million for computers and other tech upgrades for Grosse Pointe Schools. / Regina H. Boone/Detroit Free Press

“I have every confidence we will find a solution our constituents can support,” Harwood said in a letter to residents today.

Harwood said the district is asking residents to provide more feedback in a survey that will be available online later this week and in print in each school office.

The proposal was defeated 8,617-3,718, according to unofficial results. The 10-year measure would have raised taxes for school purposes by 23%, adding 2.28 mills in the first year and costing the owner of a home with a taxable value of $100,000 an additional $228 a year.

The bond money would have been used to pay for new computers and technology upgrades. It also would have been used to replace or add generators, upgrade phone systems;,improve libraries and media centers,add new security cameras and doors, and install a private fiber-optic network.

Harwood said the district presented the best proposal to “bring 21st Century tools for learning and security to our schools.”

“We want our community to know we heard them. ... Working together, we will continue to attract and retain families that share our commitment to providing a model for quality public education.”

Harwood said the administration will review its options for financing technology improvements as the 2014-15 school year budget is developed.

But there’s more at stake. The district needs to review the time line for renewing three other school-related millages, which expire at the end of the next school year.

“These renewals represent approximately 24% of our operating budget and are critical to the financing of our school operations,” Harwood wrote. “We are asking our community to support those renewals next November and to provide suggestions for budget development now.”